Interchangeable sign



April 5, 1938.

C. J. WAMSER INTERCHANGEABLE SIGN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov 8, 1937 FIG. 6;

M m Z m; W A. m L4 N w Mr W 3 1 w ATTORNEYS April 5, 1938. -c:. J. WAMSER lNTERCHANGl-JABLE smn Filed Nov. 8, 19:57

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

INVENTOR R E S M A W J S E L R A H C ATTORNEYS remixed A r. 5,1933

" UNITED STATES v m'mnonsnassnm sun: Charles J. Wsmser, Milwaukee, Wis. Application November 8, 1987, Serial No. 173,411

4 Claim.

This invention pertains to interchangeable signs, and more particularly to electrically illuminated signs provided with translucent glass panels and changeable silhouette letters disposed thereon.

. In signs of the foregoing type now on the market, serious dimoulties have been encountered in obtaining access to the illuminating compartment, and also in the removal and cleaning of the glass panels. Further, such signs are so constructed as to accumulate rain, snow, and ice, with the result that prolonged dripping occurs, which is particularly objectionable in signs or marquees supported over sidewalks or thoroughfares.

The present invention has primarily for its object to overcome the foregoing objections by the provision of an exceedingly simple and attractive illuminated changeable silhouette letter sign, in which access can be quick ly had t6 the illuminating compartment without removal of the translucent panels'or silhouette letters, and which materially facilitates installation or removal of the translucent panels, for either cleaning or replacement, as well as eliminating the accumulation ofwater, snow, and ice.

Incidental to the foregoing, a more specific object of the present invention residesin the provision of a frame hinged to the sign housing for supporting a translucent panel and changeable silhouette letters, both being readily installed or' removed without resort to fastening devices.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction. combination, and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention maybe made as come within the scope of the claims.

. In the accompanying drawings is illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of the present invention constructed according to the best mode so far'devisedfor the practical application of the principles thereof. 60 In the drawinssr V ,Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a sign constructed in accordance with one form of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse section through a-frame hinge, as indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 4.-

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail sectionpf the hinged frame taken on the line 8- ,of Figure 4; and

Figure '7 is an elevation of one of the detachable silhouette letters employed.

- Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the numeral l designates a display housing consisting of upper and lower sections 2 and 3, respectively, secured to a rear panel! to form an illuminating compartment 5, in which conventional light sockets 6 are mounted for reception of incandescent lamps'L- At the same time it is to be understood thatother forms of electric illumination may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention.

The bottom wall 8 of the upper section 2, which is of a hollow box construction, is provided with a longitudinally elevated portion 9 terminating adjacent its front edge to form a depending lip Ill, which extends over the top edge of a panel and letter-supporting frame ll, provided with rearwardly projecting ears l2, pivotally connected I to arcuate brackets i3 secured to the lower wall d of the top section 2, inwardlyof the lip 10'.

Like the upper section 2 the lower section 3' of the housing 5 is also of box formation, the

top wall it of which is inclined outwardly and downwardly intermediate its front and rear edges. and has formed thereon adjacent its outer edge a longitudinal, vertioal'lip it, against which the bottom edge of the hinged frame ll abuts.

From the lip II the wall It is also beveled downwardly and outwardly to form a water shed.

Considering now in detailthe hinged frame ll,

- the same comprises spaced vertical bars l8 connected at their upper and lower ends by longi- -tu'dinal channels it for reception of the translucent panels ll. Connected to/the upright bars It, adjacent their forward edges, and in front of 20, the lugs beingpreferablyilush with the rear face of the letters to bring the same into as close proximity to the panels I! as possible. also be noted that the upper lugs flare-of sufncientlengthtopermitthsletters ll tobe'raisec'.

It will closed position, a spring clip 23 is secured to the wall ll of the lower section 3 for reception of a catch 24 attached to the bottom channel it intermediate its ends, the lip I! being cut out at I! to allow passage of the catch. A thumb-piece 25,

secured to the lower channel ,facilitates manipulation of the frame. i

From the foregoing explanation, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, the purpose and operation of the invention will be readily apparent, in that any desired arrangement of silhouette letters may be positioned on the lunged frame I i by insertion in the horizontal channels 20, and due to the opaque material from which the letters are formed, they will be clearly visible both at night, when the translucent panel iii is illuminated, and in the daytime.

Access to the illuminating compartment 5 is easily and quickly obtained by merely swinging the frame ii outwardly, thus facilitating replacement of the incandescent lights or illuminating elements when necessary. To remove the translucent panel I! for either washing or replacement, the upper channel is is of sufficient depth to permit the panel to be raised suiliciently to clear the lower channel I 8, after which it can be readily withdrawn from the upper channel. Obviously, this operation is performed when the hinged frame is sw ung outwardly.

It will be noted that an'exceedingly simple, rigid, and inexpensive structure has been provided, wherein the translucent panels and channel silhouette letters are both removably carried by a hinged frame, all of which facilitates three operations, namely access to the illuminating compartment, replacement or removal of the translucent panels. for cleaning, and the interchanging and arrangement of letters.

Also, by the foregoing arrangement, the formation of the housing is materially simplified, m

that the usual grooves provided for receiving the translucent panels and letter-supporting frames are eliminated. These grooves are further objec- "tionable in that they form troughs within which rain, snow, and ice accumulate, causing subsequent prolonged dripping of the sign, whereas in the. present structure rain or snow cannot 'ac 'cumulate, in that the lip ll, extending over the upper edge of the hinged frame and translucent panel carried thereby, forms a water shed, while the vertical lip ll, abutting the rear face of the 1 lower channel It, forms a closure at the bottom of the sign, and rain or snowcontacting the outer face of the panel I! and the letters 2! will readily drain oil of the beveled edge of the lower section 3.

,In the event of breakage of the translucent panels ii, the horizontal channels 2|, as well as the changeable letters II, will serveto retain the pieces and prevent their falling outwardly upon pedestrians.

While the invention has been illustrated in connection with a single translucent panel and s,11s,ass v hinged frame, it is to be understood that 'anynumber of sections may be provided, depending upon the length of the sign.

I claim:

1. An illuminated sign comprising a housing.

having an open side, a longitudinal lip depending from the top'of said housing adjacent said opening, an upwardly extending longitudinal stop on the bottom of said housing inwardly of said opening, electric illuminating means containedwithin said housing, a skeleton frame hinged to the top of said housing adjacent said opening for swinging outwardly, the top of said frame being norhorizontally hinged to said housing adiacent'its open side, said frame comprising spaced uprights connected at their upper and lower ends by horizontal channels, and a pair of spaced horizontal channels connected to said uprights intermediate their upper and lower ends, atranslucent panel detachably mounted in said upper and lower channels rearwardly of'said pair of horizontal channels, and silhouette letters detachably frame, means for releasably latching said frame in normal closed position, a translucent panel detachably carried by said frame, and silhouette letters detachably mounted in said frame in front of said panel.

4.'An illuminated sign comprising a housing having an open side, a longitudinal lip depending from the top of said housing adjacent said opening, an upwardly extending longitudinal stop on the bottom of said housing inwardly of said opening, electric illuminating means contained within said housing, a skeleton frame hinged to the top of said housing adjacent said opening for swin ing outwardly and upwardly, ,the top of said frame being normally positioned inwardly of said depending lip, the bottom of said frame abutting the outer face of said stop, said frame comprising spaced uprights connected at their upper and lower ends by horizontal channels, a pair of spaced horizontal channels connected with said uprights intermediate their upper and lower ends. means for releasably latching said frame in normal closed position, a translucent panel detachably mounted in said upper and lower channels rearwardly ofsaid intermediate channels, and all-- houette letters detachably mounted in said intermediate horizontal channelsL cns'nms wsmsna.

, mounted in said intermediate horizontal chan- 

